Retractable step



H. M. WITHiROW.

RETRACTABLE STEP.

APPucmou nuzu JULY 19. ma.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

INVENTOEI ATTORNEY WiTNESS: W;

BARB-Y1K. WITHEROW, OBJOHNSONGREEK, WISCONSIN.

mraacmnm s'rnr.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed m 10, we. semi no. 245,079.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ham M. Wrrnnuow, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Johnson Creek, in the county of Jefferson and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retractable Steps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements instep structures for sealing poles or the side of a building.

It is primarily the object of my invention to provide a step structure which is retractable nature, whereby its unauthorized use maybe prevented by retraction of the step members.

On telegraph and like poles, which workmen must frequently climb for various purposes, it is necessary to terminate the fixed steps of the pole at a considerable height from the ground, to prevent unauthorized climbing of the pole, and it is more particularly my object to provide a retractable step structure which may extend between the ground and the fixed steps of a pole and which may be readily operated by a person having suitable authority, to position the steps thereof in extended position.

With these and other objects in View, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the .novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and defined by the appended claim, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of my invention might be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view of my improved retractable step structure applied to a pole, portions of the casing being broken away to more clearly show the structure.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the lower portion of the casing.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing one of the step members in retracted position.

Referring now more partlcularly to the accompanying drawings, 5 designates a pole of any nature. a

My improved step structure includes an elongated-casing comprising the front wall 6 and side walls 7 provided with out-turned flanges 8 whereby the casing may be secured by suitable members 9 to the pole or other support which is afforded therefor. Access to the interior of the casing is bad by means of a door 10 mounted in an opening in its lower portion, the hinges for this door each comprising a slotted leaf 11 carried by the casing body and in which is slidably mounted apin. 12 carried by an arm 13 on the inner face of the door. Thus, the hinges are entirely concealed when the door is closed, to prevent tampering therewith. The door is provided with a suitable lock 14 and provides accessto the operating mechanism of the step members.

Upstanding in the bottom of the casing is a standard 15 on which is intermediately pivoted a lever 16. One end of the lever is connected by a link 17 with a cross arm 18 on the lower end of a step carrying bar 19 which projects upwardly in the casing. Step arms 20 are pivoted at regularly spaced intervals to this bar, which have their outer ends bent upwardly at 21 and which are of sufficient length to project outwardly of the side wall 7 of the casing through openings 22 in said walls, when disposed at substantially right angles to the bar 19.

Thus upon swinging the lever 16, the bar 19 will be vertically reciprocated to extend or retract the step members 20 with respect to the side casing wall. The bar is guided in this reciprocating movement by pins 23 carried by the front casing wall and disposed at opposite sides of the bar, and bein engaged by the step members 20 in raised position of the bar to limit upward movement of the bar. In lowered position of thebar, step members being thus retracted, movement of said members into the casing is limited by ard plates 24 secured to the casing walls a ove the openings 22 and extending downwardly and inwardly of the openings, it being, however, appreciated. that the material forming said plate-s may be struck integrally from the casing wall in the formation of the openings 22.-

For holding the bar 19 in either limit of movement, an arm 25 projects laterally from the standard 15 and has its outer end apertured and lying in the path of arcuate movement of the free end of the lever 16 and of a lateral arm 26 on the lever, both the lever end and arm being similarly apertured for the selective reception of a pin 27 passed through the arm 25.

The upper end of the casing is closed by a cap plate 28, and should it be desired to extend the height of the step structure a plurality of casing sections may be rovided and superposed to attain the desire height, the upper end of the bar 19 being rovided with apertures 29 for connection 0 the bar with the bar of a superposed section.

A comparatively slmple and readily manipulated structure has thus been provided, which may be actuated to step forming position only by access through the door 10.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to poles, it is obvious that, to meet difi'ering conditions of use, such as the application of the step structure to a flat wall, various changes and modifications of structure may be resorted to without departing in any manner from the spirit of the invention. Also, it will be notedthat in the embodiment of my invention in a hollow pole, during the manufacture of the pole, the Wall of the pole may itself fornf the casing of my structure.

What is claimed is:

A device of the class described including an elongated casing provided with a longitudinal series of apertures, a bar longitudinally slidable in'the casing,- step members pivoted to the bar and extensible through the openings, and retainer plates secured to the casings above the openin s, with their lower portions spaced inwar y from said openings and terminating short of and adjacent the bottoms of the o nings,.whereby when the steps are retractedftheir outer end portions lie between the casing wall and said retainer plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Johnson Creek in the county of J efierson and State of Wisconsin.

HARRY M. WITHEROW.

0011i" 0! thin patent may be obtained for an cents each, by addressing the "commissioner of intents, Wuhinzton, D. 0. 

